Chapter 21
It is after dinner, Elizabeth left, the kids are in bed.
She leans against the window frame. A glass bottle broke into tiny gleaming pieces across the navy blue sky. They glint in the dark as if they are waving at her, she vividly remembers she would wave back when she was a little girl around the twins' age. The moon is a silver disc, hanging high upon their neighbourhood, which is sleeping soundly. Everything looks so peaceful.
The clock is ticking on the wall in silence until an abrupt knock followed by a doorbell ring penetrate the calm atmosphere...
Next day
It is currently 8 am. The sunlight meanders through the light voile curtains which are dyed in light teal. Secretly crawling, the honeyed sun rays caress the rosy cheeks of two children, who are soundly in sleep, lost in their sweet dreams. His hand saunters upon his closed eyes, gently rubbing it. He lets out a tired, annoyed moan, squinting his eyes tighter at the light directly in his face.
"Sissy..." Henry rolls to the other side of his bed, facing the bed with lavender coloured bedding covered in floral prints. Noticing he is not getting any replies, Henry energetically sits up and jumps out of his blanket. Tiptoeing sneakily as he goes, the clock on the wall seems to be monitoring him. Every tick-tocks sound of the clock makes his little palms go clammy. The room is in silence. A loud slap in her face penetrates the calm peaceful atmosphere.
"Mm...UGH Naurr" She groans, refusing to get out of bed. At this point, her eyes are tightly shut, expecting the pillow wars to start that makes mommy furious.
Instead, Henry whispers into Hermia's ear, "Wake mommy? We're seeing uncle Joe today."
Within a blink of an eye, the little girl flings her arms up in the air. Tossing and turning the massive blanket to get away from her dreamy bed. She beams with utter excitement, "YES YES YES"
Their sea-blue eyes meet each other and with a firm nod, they stand on their highest tiptoe to reach the doorknob. They walk out of their bedroom successfully without a creak of noise.
"MOMmMYYyyy!! Wake up!" The twins jump into the soft puffy duvets, digging through until they found their mom. Their lips brush across her clear skin with multiple kisses. They cling onto her arms and rest their heads on her.
"It's just seven, let mommy sleep more." Taylor groans, attempting to stretch her numb arms from all the weight against them.
Hermia sits up and announces, "No it's eight now. There's no time. We need to see uncle Joey, we can't be late."
Taylor nods while trying to widen her eyes. She gets up and starts folding the duvets. She puts on a convincing smile, "Pancakes?"
"with strawberries!" Henry squeals.
"And first what do we need to do?"
"BRUSH OUR TEETH." They collectively chant. Taylor silently giggles, as she is getting dragged to the bathroom. Reaching the top of the cabinets, Taylor gives them their colourful toothbrushes and watches them shove them in their mouths. And she does the same as well.
"Cheese- Mom look, mine's so clean." Hermia spits out the toothpaste and water in her mouth. She smiles brightly at the mirror on the wall, tiptoes on a wide chair with Henry as they aren't tall enough to reach the water tap.
Henry grunts back."No, no mine's whiter." With the facial expressions of the maddest boy the world has ever seen, he still manages to look adorable with his scrunched nose. Taylor sighs with her half-opened tired eyes, she grabs his shoulder and launches the face towel on his face. He tries to wiggle out of her arms, he doesn't like having his face wiped.
"Ahhh- uhh- no no I don't like this-" He moans with annoyance, on the verge of crying.
"All good" Taylor inhales deeply. The first hardest task of every day is finished, she closes her eyes for a second, knowing there are more to come. Hermia is a sensitive girl. Her mom looking a bit stressed is never possible to get out of her sight.
"Henry! Oh for Joe's sake, just cooperate!" She pushes Henry's chest, not knowing she is creating more drama.
"OKAY ENOUGH-" A threatening howl breaks out. Taylor scratches her scalp, looking down to hide her reddened face. She barely shows her anger or breakdown in front of them. The kids gaze at her in bewilderment, their lips form frowns, sealed tightly, carefully not make a sound. The silence stays between the four tiled walls for five seconds, yet it feels like an eternity.
"I'm sorry... go pick your outfits, I'll make breakfast."Head low, she asks them to leave. She feels tears building up behind her eyes, within a second they would leak like a waterfall from the tip of a mountain. She tightly shuts her eyes as the lady at the door the previous night flashbacks to her mind. Teardrops gracefully land on the floor and more arrive to stain her nightgown. Her back is against the wall, she takes one last deep breath and walks out the bathroom with a benevolent smile. She arrives at the kitchen with hugs from Hermia and Henry.
"Nice outfits!-" Taylor cheers and compliments to elevate the mood in the room.
The twins stand side by side, proudly with their arms crossed in front of them. Henry even combed his hair differently, he cries with excitement, "We are both uncle Joe! Mommy, look at my blue shirt and dark jeans!"
"And me too!"Hermia claps her hands and twirls to show her outfit. She gave herself two pigtails but they look awfully unsymmetrical. But she claims that's how she likes it.
-
Taylor double-checks the correct visiting time for Joe's ward. Elizabeth will meet her there. She glances at the lighted bedroom of the twins, hearing small chattering and giggles as beautiful as the chirping of birds in spring. Semi-consciously, she smiles.
"Who's ready to see Uncle Joe?" Her clear voice doesn't get a reply. Instead, noises of shuffling things get louder. Two kids bolting out of their rooms, with backpacks a little too big for their height. They rush to hug their mother's long toned legs.
"ME ME ME!!!!" They chant with a bit of cream above their lips from the pancakes. Taylor pulls out some wet wipes from her pockets and helps them clean them off.
"Mommy you look so pretty-"Henry shrieks as he plays with the fabric of Taylor's floral dress.
"Momma, I am so thankful that you decided to let us see Uncle Joey." Hermia runs to the door and tries to unlock it.
"Me too. Ms Green taught us to be thankful to people we love, and tell them when we can. She said this makes people happy. Mommy, are you happy?" Henry continues.
"Thank you very much, my darlings. I am extremely happy...because I get to be with you. Now, Joe's mom called us a taxi, she doesn't want you two to be exhausted from all the walking. So remember to say-" Taylor reminds.
"Thank you to Joe's mom. Can we go now? Uncle Joey wouldn't want us to be late." Hermia jumps and clings onto the doorknob, she knows doing these dangerous tricks would get her mom's attention.
-
"I'm sorry miss, I'm afraid we can't let you go in" The nurse says. The twins' frown and tighten the grip on Taylor's hands.
"Ooooh hi Taylor-, what's stopping you to go upstairs? Oh, nurse, there's no worries, they are with me." Elizabeth bubbly welcomes. Henry and Hermia dash into her arms.
"Thank you for the taxi, that's very nice." Hermia and Henry collectively say.
"Come on, let's go!" Elizabeth holds their hands, ignoring the nurse and they walk towards Joe's room. Taylor follows from behind, she fixes her hair from the wind messing it all up. She takes a deep breath and there is only one thought circling around her mind: Joe.
Elizabeth pushes the door, the twins burst into the room as soon as the gap between the doorframe is wide enough to fit their bodies. A smile instantly beams on Taylor's face, she is happy if her kids are happy. Behind the door reveals a big hospital bed surrounded by machines and tubes. Joe looks less pale and better compared to yesterday.
"Uncle Joeee!!!!!" The twins leap onto the bed with Elizabeth's help. Their little legs dangling down on the sides of the bed. Their eyes sparkle with happiness, having the widest grins hanging across their cheeks.
"Hi! I'm so happy to see you two. I love your pigtails. Look! I have a cast on my arm." Joe moves his arm over the blanket Elizabeth knitted for him a few years ago, giving the guests a full display of his stiff arm.
"My classmate had one too. He let everyone sign-"Henry says.
"Do you want to sign or draw on it?"Joe ruffles the boy's hair, playing with his curls.
"YESSSS-" Hermia flings her arms into the air and screams with excitement. Taylor immediately covers Hermia's mouth with her own hand and shush her quietly.
"Here are your sharpies." Joe reaches the cabinet next to his bed and grabs a few colourful markers.
"Uncle Joe? Mommy said you're a hero. We love you for that so we dressed up as you." One of the twins says, showing off the blue shirt and jeans.
"How are you Uncle JoeJoe? Your ouchie must be so painful that you need to sleep here."The other follows with a sincere sympathetic look staring at the blonde man. Before he can answer, his only free arm is dragged to one side.
"Look what I draw! It's a cat. Mommy loves cats." Hermia shows him her doodling masterpiece of a cat. She shoots a glance at Henry, proud of herself for getting Joe's attention before her brother. She clasps her arms behind her back with her head lifted.
Joe's arm is pulled to the other side, Henry pats his back and points at his drawing on Joe's cast. It is a drawing of five people. Two of them are bald and the rest only have two strands of hair. "Look LOOK!!! It's you, me, Hermie and mommy! Oh and your mommy too!"
"Nice. That's very pretty. WOW, that looks fabulous."Joe compliments, trying to hold his laugh but he knows he has to be polite at the same time. He looks around the room, his mom and Taylor both have a smile on, however, he realises Taylor has been a little bit quieter than usual."Hey- Tay, don't isolate yourself in the corner"
She mouths back, "It's alright."
He knows something is wrong.
He wiggles his brows, signalling his mom that they need some private space. He suggests, "Mom, you know there is a really nice cake shop across the street-"
Elizabeth cooperates perfectly. She obviously knows what he is thinking. They need to talk. She replies, "Oh yes, why don't we go and have some dessert, kids?"
Taylor seems to be distracted, lost in her own thoughts. They let the kids finish their decorations on Joe's cast. Then, Elizabeth leaves with the kids bouncing in the hallway.
"Come here..." Joe pats the empty space on his bed next to him. A faint smile forms over her lips, she stares at the floor, tucking her hair behind her ears. She finds her comfortable position and gazes into his ocean blue eyes. Their faces are just a few inches apart.
"Hey...I apologise that you have to start your day like this-" She mumbles.
"No, I love it." He firmly answers. His hand somehow finds her shoulder and starts to gently stroke it. He notices her smile is brighter, she likes it. Her eyes dart around the room, she knows she has been caught.
She confesses, "They are so obsessed with you, somebody had a big tantrum..." Taylor's hand rests on Joe's gown over his thigh. He lets out a small chuckle. She lays her head on his shoulder, unaware that her fingers start drawing circles on it. They sit in silence for a while, it feels like the time has stopped, he feels lucky and she feels calm.
She whispers, loud enough for him to hear it, " I miss you so much though..."
"You alright?-"He asks casually, well not really without a reason.
"Yeah-" She replies, swallowing a big lump in her throat.
"You're hiding something..." His fingers reach her chin, he lifts it up, forcing her to look at him.
"Your cast is ugly now. They kind of ruined it. "She tries to change the topic by mocking her kids. She touches his hard, shell-like cast, tracing over the marker lines that had dried up a few minutes ago.
"Stop roasting their art. It's okay, tell me later." He lets her go.
"Come on Joe... it's not that serious."She sits up, trying to argue.
"My mom is gone. The twins are not here. Tell me what is bothering you." He frowns. He looks at the door, knowing she might have lost trust in him long ago and he could never restore what he had ruined.
"I-I mean I'm completely ...fine. There's nothing you should worry about me other than yourself. Look at you, poor Joey got wrapped with bandage all over." She coos, raising her eyebrows while pointing at his cast.
"No, Taylor, I'm serious. Please trust me. I'm not the jerk I was. We can fix this. It's-"He calmly reassures.
There was another moment of silence. She realises it's too late to hold back her tears. Her hiccups and rainfall of tears are definitely noticeable.
"Last night-" She stops.
"Mmm"
"Last...Last night, my landlord came. It's nothing, Joe." Taylor tries to look directly at him, but her eyes scurry away. She turns her body away from him, using her sleeves to wipe her tears.
"You can't leave me like that."
"The house I live in...it's rented..." She continues.
"Deep breathes." He gently pulls her into an embrace, allowing her tears to wet the shoulder part of his hospital gown.
"She said she needs me to move out..." Her body convulses and her face is buried in her palms. For Joe, it is heartbreaking to watch. He tenderly pats her back and hopes for the best.
She continues, "In two weeks. She wants me to pay the bills for this month by next week. She needed the urgent money. And I would be homeless. I can't just buy a house suddenly. I have no place to go. And it's not just me, I have two little cute babies. I can't give them a life most of their peers have-"
"We can sort that out." He interrupts.
"But how? You can't do me any more favours. It's too much already, Joe you saved me. I wouldn't be here if-"
"Don't say that... I- I just wanna let you know I'll help you find a place eventually. I can give you-" He closes his eyes, trying to think of the best solution for her.
"No. Joe. I'm just stressed, I will be fine later." She wiggles herself out of his arms and wipes away her tears.
"I can give you your paycheck earlier..." He says.
"Or..." He takes a deep breath and reconsiders the alternative idea.
"Or what? That's good enough. I will think of a..." She covers her face in embarrassment.
"Why don't you come live with me?" He suggests with a Cheshire cat smile. Taylor seems to relax a bit, she was too stunned to speak. He delicately grabs her wrist and reveals her puffy face from all the crying. He places his thumb over her cheeks and wipes away the tears bursting out from her watery eyes.
"Wait... with you?" She says under her breath. She inhales deeply. She doesn't realise she starts panicking again. Aggressively rubbing her fingers together, her other hand fisted. Joe caresses her hands, trying to stop them from moving.
"Yeah, my house is a lot bigger than the part you saw last time when you sneaked in. I have guest rooms and other spare rooms " He explains.
"That's such a huge favour. I can't-" She begins to shake her head and blinks back her tears.
"There is one condition." He laughs silently.
"Yeah."
"You'll let me babysit." He giggles.
"Can I trust you with kids? Because that benefits me..." She tilts her head with a weak smile.
"I love kids. Please, Taylor. Living with me will be fun." He cheers.
"Uh...Okay." She bites her bottom lip in deep thoughts.
"So?" He widens his eyes, waiting for her to confirm.
"Yes, I'll live with you." She leans forward into his open arms.
"Move in as soon as you can, I'm excited." He whispers into her ear. "See? I knew something was up. Come here. It's okay to be sad and cry, Taylor. You are amazing, you are raising two smart kids all by yourself.
Talk to me more okay? Joey is here for you. Don't be so hard on yourself." He pulls away from the hug, with the biggest grin on him.
"Oh gosh, this is so embarrassing. You've seen me cry now-" She glances away.
"Everyone cries-...I cry-" He holds her hand.
"Okay." She sniffles.
"I'm just so glad I can help you." He speaks with full honesty. His eyes sparkle with joy. Their faces are still inches apart.
"Thank you so much, Joe. I'll find a way to repay you." She turns her head facing him. She leans in and kisses his temple. As she pulls away, she giggles at his shocked face. She cannot believe this man has helped her once again.
She stares cheekily at her fidgeting hands. She is so damn proud of herself for making the move. Surely, he never expected it. Realising the windows facing the hospital corridor are not tinted, they could be seen by anyone. She lifts her head up and searches for any shadows outside. There are none. She suddenly feels a gentle tap on her shoulder. It is Joe; with his face flushed as if he has been dipped into some cherry powder.
"Did you just-"Word crawl out of his mouth. His flattered grin intrigues her. He gazes through her endless ocean eyes which are certainly dazzling if they are in a crowded room. But here it's just the two of them. He shyly bites his bottom lip, then they parted slightly.
She nods with an innocent smile in response. Warmth blossoms within and flutters her ribcage. She leans in close with her hand lightly pressing against his chest, swallowing his words. Their lips brush across each other tentatively. Their eyelids close with pleasure, weaving their hearts together as he reciprocates and slips his tongue inside. She lets out a chuckle as his nose touches hers. She deepens the kiss and his arm tugs around her waist. Their lips find each other and collide together, this slowly turns into a make-out session.
She pulls away for another gasp of air, and he does the same. He presses his lips on her forehead. When he looks down, she has the sweetest smile on her face.
"Can I still move in with you?" She whispers.
"Of course darling...so what are we?"He asks. She looks away in silence, dives into her thoughts.
"Can we just not label it right now? It's been a rollercoaster today for me... We are colleagues, best friends, soon to be housemates, that's complicated enough-" She reaches for his hand and plays with his fingers.
"You're right...right. We'll just leave it like this then...are you happy with this?" He squeezes her hand three times.
"Yes." She lifts her hand with his fingers intertwined and kisses the back of his hand.
A/N: I know I'm very slow with the story and updating. I wasn't that busy, I just hate my child and abandoned it. Reasons, why I hate this book, are that I used present tense and I hate it here. Secondly, the writer doesn't update frequently. Anyway, this is a present to everyone who is single out there or without a valentine for valentine's day, so y'all have something to read.
Everyone please say thank you to @jaylorloveletters who "forced" me to write the kiss scene.